The Avengers and Team HOPE
by NobodyButMusic
Summary: An old group of superheros aid The Avengers in saving the world from a new threat to man-kind... FULL PLOT INSIDE Rated T for language Steve/OC, Tony/OC, Bruce/OC, Clint/OC, Thor/OC, Loki/OC
1. Summary

Full Plot:

A new evil as risen for the Earth to defend against. He calls himself 'The Hunter' and he believes he should be the ruler of all man-kind (Sounds like a copy-cat Loki). But this is no silly threat or small attack. He has an army. An army with all different creatrues and weapons, an army larger than the human race... When Agent Fury sees the signs of another war, he knows The Avengers can't do it by themselves. He knows of only one other superhuman group that could possibly help. Team HOPE: Hope Of Peace to Earth. Ten years ago before The Avengers, the six teenage girls of Team HOPE were the superheros. When crime and evil came to a stop, the girls were no longer needed. So they were dispersed and carried on with their own lives. When Fury asks for their help, will they join The Avengers? Or was Agent Furys idea a waste of time...

I'm changing the ages of some of The Avengers for the purpose of my OC's.  
Steve - 25  
Tony - 32  
Bruce - 34  
Thor - Human aquivalence is 27  
Clint - 30  
Loki - Human aquivalence is 29  
Natasha - Normal age which is 26

They still have the same appearences and personalities  
I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING EXCEPT FOR THE SIX GIRLS OF TEAM HOPE  
THE PLOT IS MY ORIGINAL IDEA


	2. Chapter 1

"Sir, what are we going to do? We can't possibly let The Avengers do this alone. It's far too much danger" Agent Maria Hill spoke, the words fluttering out of her mouth in a panic. She trailed behind Agent Fury as he came bombarding into the main control room of the flying aircraft that was currently unseen to the ant-like people below.

"Get in contact with all the Avengers. Tell them to meet me at S.H.E.I.L.D headquarters..." He trailed off, his mind exploding with scenarios.  
Agent Maria nodded her head obediently and walked off, yelping orders over the walkie-talkie.  
"I need to get a hold of The Avengers, ASAP. It's an emergency..."

-The next day-

Finally, all the members of the team were rallied together. They sat content at the round table in the middle of an otherwise empty room with fuzzy blue walls and white tiled floors. Suddenly, Nick came waltzing into the room, a smug look apparent on his face.

"I realize I asked you all to come in a short notice of time..." He looked around the table at each individual member. "But I'm afraid we have a situation that is in dire need of discussing..." He cleared his throat as he grabbed a remote and clicked a large silver button near the top.  
The wall lit up with pictures and moving images and slide after slide full of writing.

"What the hell..." Clint spoke, leaning against the wall in awe at the bundle of information.

"Sir, what exactly are we looking at here?" Steve asked, leaning forward in his seat, his mouth hung open slightly.

"This..._thing_, has been seen roaming around the Earth. More than thirty sightings have been reported. And I'm getting my ass whooped by the government because we aren't taking care of the problem" A sigh escaped the one-eyed man as he seemed to realize he was venting on something The Avengers had no control over. "We have to stop this thing before it gets even more out of hand. It's destroyed towns, buildings...People have gone missing since that creature showed up. No trail, nothing. Just vanished..." He said, trailing off, clasping his hands together behind his back. "This mission is far too dangerous just for the six of you...And I can't send any S.H.I.E.L.D members because all they know is how to point a gun and shoot the damn thing" He snorted quietly.

"Then why call us in? We obviously can't do anything..." Bruce said, rubbing his temples and removing his glasses

Agent Fury stopped in his tracks and turned to face the six adults. "That's were you are wrong, ... The Avengers can still protect the world, we just need some...reinforcements" He smirked.

"Wow, wow, wow...More people? Don't you think that's a little much? I mean, come on! We're The Avengers" Tony scoffed, crossing his arms over his chest. "If we can't do it, what makes you think other people can?" He asked, rolling his eyes. Of course Tony already had to share the spotlight with the other members of The Avengers. He couldn't possibly imagine more souls stealing his moment.

"I'm not bringing in strangers or people without something to benefit the team! I'm bringing in a special group of superheros who used to work with S.H.I.E.L.D..." Fury spoke.

Natasha's ears perked up as Fury spoke. "You don't mean..." She said, lifting her head from staring at her feet.

Fury nodded his head. "Indeed I do" He smirked.

"Team HOPE" Agent Hill chimed in, stepping beside Fury.

"I thought they were let off duty years ago!" Natasha had a glimmer in her eyes.

Fury could tell the other Avengers were completely lost, so he pulled up a chair and took a deep breath.

"Ten years ago, before we thought of the Avengers initiative, before most of your identities existed, S.H.E.I.L.D had a superhuman group consisting of six teenage girls with extraordinary powers... They worked with us for a very long time, but when crime and villains suddenly disappeared, we no longer needed them. So I dismissed them and they went on to live normal lives, keeping their powers in secrecy" He said, flashbacks running through his head.

Agent Hill walked towards the large projection area on the wall as six separate folders appeared. She clicked on the first one revealing a tall woman who was a little bigger than average, making her all the more desirable. She had tight, dark red curls that laid just above her shoulders with bangs that went straight across her forehead. Her eyes were hazel and she had the rosey-pale skin with rosebud lips.  
"Anastasia Phillips, age 24. The youngest member and the leader of the team. She has the powers of telepathy, the ability to read others thoughts and communicate mentally; telekinesis, the ability to control objects with her mind; and memory manipulation, which means she can erase or enhance anyones memories"

Agent Hill clicked the next slide. The woman stood 5'8 and was Asian decent with porcelain skin. She was extremely skinny, but not anorexic, and had small features. Her hair was stick straight with a jet black color and cut into a bob. Chocolate brown filled her eyes as light freckles trailed the tops of her cheek bones.  
"December Xang, age 28. She has superhuman senses, wall crawling ability, and teleportation. Also extremely skilled in Tai-Kwan-Do"

Another flick of the button and a new picture popped up. The woman was short with a curvy body like Marilyn Monroe. Her wavy, dirty blonde hair reached her butt. Her eyes were a dull gray, as if the shine they once held had disappeared. She had a beautiful round face and light skin.  
"This is Felecity Kingston. invisibility and sonic scream are her two powers. She's 27 " Agent Hill scanned the rest of the page with her eyes, she noticed some information at the bottom...But it was too personal to share, so she continued to the next file.

A girl with dark brown hair appeared on the screen. Her hair ended right below her ears and cut jagged at the ends. Her tips were green and the hair curved with her face. She was skinny and you could tell she was a regular tanner. Huge, bright green eyes practically popped off her face as they were covered with long eyelashes. Adorable dimples sat on the corners of her mouth as she smiled radiantly and proud. She seemed the happiest out of the previous girls. Black, square rimmed glasses sat over her eyes.  
"Ah, yes, Liliana Birde. Truly a genius, her IQ is outstanding. She has power augmentation, bestowal, absorption, and negation; Meaning she can enhance or weaken others powers, bestow powers and jump-start latent powers, copy or absorb another power or skill temporarily, and cancel the superpowers of others temporarily...Not too shabby with a gun, if I might add" Hill smirked.

"Wow..." You heard from Bruce as he couldn't get his eyes of this girl. There was something so...different, about her.

Agent Hill looked at Bruce and back at the screen. "Let's see..." She said to herself.

"Alright. Bailee Giordano. Italian decent, obviously. Extremely heavy New York accent..." She caught herself getting off guard and stood up straight.  
Bailee was a healthy size and around 5'10. She had olive skin and was athletically built. Loose, bouncy, dark brown curls reached the top of her chest. Her eyes were black as night.  
"Bailee has the ability to create physical duplicates of herself and the powers of biological manipulation, meaning she can control all aspects of living creatures biological makeup; Including genetic alterations such as physical distortion, healing, and biological functions. She can literally be anyone she wants" Maria said, a bit of admiration in her voice.

Maria had adored Team HOPE before she even worked for S.H.E.I.L.D. Although they were younger than her, she always seemed to fan-girl over them.

"And finally, Vera Locklear..."  
Vera was a healthy size with fair skin covered in freckles. She had orange, typical 'ginger', hair that was mostly straight. She had angular features and icy blue eyes.  
"Vera is one of a kind. Most people with powers of the environmental and elemental category, only have one power. Vera has all the elemental and environmental powers. She can control and generate water, ice, fire, lava, wind, and air. She can also control any mineral, rock, or piece of Earth, electric fields, temperature, and all kinds of weather. She can animate and control plant life and is able to communicate with animals and give them tasks" Maria stood at the front of the room as she finished her presentation, rather proud of herself...

"Is she mother nature?" Thor asked, befuddled.

Tony shook his head at the idiocy of his friend.

"So we will work with Team HOPE? Aren't they all over the world doing different things? Ya know, moving on with their lives?" Natasha asked.

"Well, we haven't exactly confirmed their assistance..." Maria said softly.

"What the hell? Fury is this some kin-" Clint started

"The girls still keep in touch with one another, and they are constantly helping around with their powers. I'm sure they'll come back to defend the world! After all, they did it for years..." Maria interrupted

Fury sighed. "Agent Hill, you're in charge of rounding up the girls. Get them here by the end of the week. Even if it's one by one..."

"Yes sir!" Maria said happily, running out of the room excited to get in touch with her old heroes.

"So we just wait?" Natasha asked, perturbed.

Fury smirked. "Just wait" He said and walked out.

"Well boys and girls, sounds like we've got some free time. I'm off." Tony said, stuffing his hands in his pockets and walking out of the building.  
Natasha and Clint left together, talking about the idiocy of the call-in today.

Bruce headed off to the lab and Thor was going back to Asgard until he was needed.

So, Steve stood alone in the room, running through the files over and over. For some reason, he couldn't seem to escape Anastasia's file. She was gorgeous, no doubt, but she seemed so outstanding to him. Never had he encountered people with actual superpowers. He was injected with a serum, Tony had a suit, Bruce was hit with gamma rays, Natasha and Clint were just talented and skilled, and Thor wasn't even from this planet.

Just as he was going to exit, he heard a stumble behind him. Quickly turning around, an Asian woman was standing there.

"I'm...here to assist S.H.E.I.L.D" She said quietly, obviously awkward

Steve smirked. "You must be December. Follow me, ma'am, you're going to be quite the help" Steve reassured the timid young woman.  
December nodded her head obediently and trailed behind Steve as he escorted her to Agent Fury...


	3. Chapter 2

**I'm so sorry I haven't written in awhile! I started a new semester a few days ago and I'm in my schools musical and everything is just hectic! I promise to write more, I hope this chapter makes up for my time gone 3 I stayed up super later today because I knew you guys needed another chapter. I will update more frequently. I love you all, tell your friends about the story, and whatever you do: Don't stop reading!**

"Vera will be the hardest to reach. There's practically no way to communicate with her. She doesn't have any electronic devices, which make it extremely difficult to track her" December sighed, pacing back and forth.

Steve had introduced her to the team and they quickly welcomed her. She was becoming quite the asset at finding her fellow team members.  
Maria was off in a corner, slightly drooling as 1/6 of her superhero clan was standing before her.

Just as December was about to say something, she stopped in her tracks. "Someone else is in the room..." December looked around. She could hear footsteps when everyone was standing still and there was heavy breathing occurring. Suddenly she felt a jab at her sides and jumped back, fear in her pupils.

A laughter filled the room that wasn't coming from anyone's mouth! Finally, someone appeared.

"Felecity!" December yelled, furious. She looked at her mischievous friend as Felecity attacked December with a hug.

"Oh I've missed you so much!" Felecity yelped as December sighed, not liking the fact she was touched. She side-stepped to avoid further contact.

Tony raised an eyebrow at Decembers antics.

Felecity looked around the room, realizing she was watched. A small blush draped her cheeks as she grinned.

"Felecity Kingston, at your service" She winked playfully and chuckled, putting her hands on her hips in a superhero stance.

"Pleasure meeting you" Thor said from the back, a stupid grin on his face from the flirtatious blonde standing so boldly.

"Thank you for your help, Agent Xang. And welcome back, Agent Kingston" Fury said, looking back and forth at two of the girls he spent years training. Team HOPE was like a family to him. He had known them since they were teenagers. He trained them, he raised them... Then he just let them go, let them walk out the door with out a single goodbye...

He quickly shook off his somber feelings and looked at the women

"Agent Hill will take you to your rooms...I suspect you've brought luggage?" The two girls looked at one another and back to Fury. "No sir" They said in unison like guilty children.

Fury chuckled "I guessed as much. There will be clean clothes and other necessities in your rooms. Agent Hill, please take the ladies to their rooms" He nodded his head towards Hill and she graciously took them to their rooms.

"Humans fascinate me more and more" Thor laughed loudly as the women walked out.

"Yeah, but those aren't normal humans..." Bruce said, frowning and looking away from the group.

"Well I don't know if you've noticed, Doc, but we aren't exactly the most 'human' people, either" Tony smirked, leaning against the wall.

The Avengers stood there, contemplating the arrival of the other women. Hours passed as no other members appeared.

"This is hopeless" Clint said, sitting down in a furious manner.

Just as Clint spoke, December and Felecity rushed into the room.  
"December found Bailee!" Felecity yelped in excitement  
"How do you know it's her?" Natasha asked, puzzled  
"Please, I know that thick New York accent anywhere. It's Bailee! No doubt she's at the bar just around the corner" December spoke, rolling her eyes.  
"Probably drinking away her thoughts on coming over..." Felecity bit her lip. She knew Bailee better than anyone on the team.  
"Well lets find her before she gets too wasted" Tony said remembering Bailee's picture, and walking out the door.

Tony was the only one who went with the girls to retrieve Bailee.  
"Why did you come?" December asked, suspicious.  
Tony chuckled. "What can I say, I'm good with drunk people" He winked at the girls as they entered the lonely bar.  
The place was kept clean and sparkling even though it seemed deserted, although two in the afternoon wasn't a popular time for people to drink their sorrows.

"There she is" Felecity whispered and pointed to a melancholy woman. Her palm seemed glued to her forehead as she stared into the shiny wood of the bar. Her back arched as her hand swung an empty beer bottle round and round by the top.  
Just as the trio was approaching her, a man appeared out of no where and walked up to Bailee.  
"Excuse me miss, but might I say, you look ravishing today" He said loud enough for his friends all the way in the corner to say.  
Bailee sighed and sat up to straighten her back, then spun around to face the man.  
"Listen, I know you and your buddies over there were just making a deal to see how quickly you could get me in bed. Which isn't gonna happen. So I suggest you turn around, tell your friends you're a wuss, go home crying to your mom, and leave me the hell alone" She said as viciously as she could. She looked over at the mans shocked friends in the corner and gave them a wave and a snide smile. As she noticed the man hadn't left, she gritted her teeth. "Scram" She spat at him and spun around in her seat.  
The man ran off the second she turned around.

"That's Bailee..." Felecity said chuckling nervously.  
Tony walked over to her and tapped her shoulder.  
"Listen, dumbass, I thought I told y-" She turned around and stopped dead in her sentence when she realized it wasn't the same man.  
"Can I help you?" She asked, rolling her eyes.  
"My name is Tony Stark..." He began as charmingly as possible.  
"Oh God...You're Iron Man" She sighed. "I'm guessing S.H.E.I.L.D sent you here to wrap me up and take me back 'home' " She put up her fingers and made quotation marks in the air.

Tony chuckled. "Actually, I just came to help them..." He gestured towards the two woman who stood back, watching their old friend.  
Bailee's face completely changed. No longer were her eyes full of hatred and her frown actually became a beautiful, white smile. "Oh my God...Demi...Felecity!" She rose from her chair and sprinted towards the girls, hugging them both with all her might. "I've missed you so much! I didn't think you guys would actually go back to S.H.E.I.L.D...Are the other girls at headquarters?" She asked. It was apparent she hadn't had a lot of things to smile over lately.

"Not yet. We are still trying to get in touch with them" December said, smiling.  
"Come on, let's go back to headquarters. They've got a room and clothes for all of us. You can help us find the others" She grinned, glad to have her old best friend back.  
Bailee chuckled quietly. "Let's go...home" She whispered, hugging her friends one last time.

-Headquarters-

It had been a day since they found Bailee, and so far the only person she talked to other than December and Felecity, was Tony. But she didn't converse with him because she enjoyed it, she had no choice. They argued like an old married couple and Tony found it amusing to pester the woman. Tony was very fond of her, actually, finding her attractive and fun. But Bailee wasn't easy to fool. She was hard-headed and stubborn. She seemed the only woman in the world who refused to fall for Tony's good looks and charming antics.  
"Come on, one date" He said, following throughout the halls of the living floor.

"Tony, I've told you a thousand times...I'm not going out with you. Ever." She rolled her eyes and escaped his questions in her room.  
Tony shook his head. "You don't know what you're missing!" He yelled as loud as he could, knowing she would hear him.  
He sauntered off to the lab, whistling an old tune as he put a hand over the bright blue light radiating from his chest.

Just as he was entering the lab, he noticed a girl standing at the end of the hallway, furiously jotting something down in a small notebook. He stopped dead in his tracks and analyzed the girls. He didn't notice much about her, but when he saw the green tips in her hair and the square glasses, he just knew whom it was. "Liliana?" He asked.

The girl's head flung up as she noticed Tony was the one calling her name. A large smile appeared on her face and she skipped over to him. "Pleased to meet you, !" She said excitingly, putting her hand out for him to shake.  
Tony raised his eyebrow but slowly put his hand out, accepting the handshake.  
"Does anyone know you're here?" He asked  
Liliana laughed. " 'Fraid not! I sneaked in through the back door. You should really get better security" She grinned.  
"Hey Tony, I finally looked up the molecular theory to-"  
Tony spun around and noticed Bruce standing there, wiping his hands off with a rag.  
"Hi!" Liliana said giddily. "The name's-"  
"Liliana. I know" Bruce said, smiling. "Nice to meet you..."  
"I overheard you saying something about molecular theory. I'd love to take a look at what you've done, if you have time" She said, walking towards him, pushing her glasses up.  
"Of course! I'd actually enjoy it if someone who knew what I was working on could help..." He glared at Tony for a second as Tony put his hands up, in defeat.  
"Please, come in" Bruce said, escorting her into the lab.  
Through the glass, Tony could see Lilianas excitement busting out of her.  
"I will never understand those two..." He shook his head and walked off, going to inform the others of Liliana's arrival

-Hours later-

It was almost the end of the day and the girls were having a lovely reunion. Only two more girls to find and Team HOPE would be restored.  
The four woman and The Avengers sat at a long table, discussing where to find the last two girls  
"I don't know why Anastasia hasn't shown up, yet. She always loved protecting the Earth and kicking bad guys asses..." Bailee said, pondering where her friend might be.

"Demi, don't you know where Ana is?" Liliana asked.  
December sighed. "Well, I know where her apartment is in California, but...She's a traveling musician. She's rarely home"  
"Oh! We should Skype her!" Felecity said, a bit ditzy like of her.  
The other three woman glared at her and looked away.  
"Well...if we can't get in touch with her, why don't we go get her?" Felecity said, redeeming herself.  
"I already said she's constantly on the move" December said.  
"But if we go to California, you'd be able to track her! Just listen for her singing. You know her voice is inseparable from others. It'll be a sitch!" Felecity said, proud of her idea.  
Everyone sat at the table, thinking.  
"You know what...It could work" Natasha spoke up.  
"Not a bad idea" Tony said  
"I think it's a rather wise suggestion" Thor said, smiling at Felecity. She returned the favor.

"Let's go get Anastasia" Steve said sternly. It had ached him to not have met her personally. He didn't know why he was so attached to the woman he had only seen pictures of. Something about her drove him crazy. He couldn't get her out of her mind. He needed to figure out what was so special about her...

December sighed, obviously overpowered. "Alright...we'll go tomorrow" She said, looking around the table.

So it was settled. They were going to find Anastasia. And they were going to get their team back.


	4. Chapter 3

-The Next Day-

"She can't take everyone, there is only so much space in the matter December can occupy without messing up the atoms of the Earth. She can take three other people, at most" Liliana said, pacing back and forth in the lab as everyone crowded around she and Bruce.

Bruce seemed to drool over every word she spoke.

"Well, who's willing to come?" December asked, looking around the room for volunteers.

"I'm coming" Bailee demanded.

Silence filled the room as December waited for other patrons.

"Me too" Steve finally spoke. Weird looks exchanged around the room. "It's only right the leaders of both teams meet first..." Steve defended himself.

Bailee looked at Steve strangely and glanced at December who shared the same face.

"Alright then...Let's go" December said, excitement bubbling from her. God, she hadn't seen Anastasia in ages. How she longed to see her best friend...

"Take my hand" December ordered her two companions. Steve and Bailee grasped her hand and then one another.

For some reason, Tony despised the fact Steve was able to touch Bailee. She hated it when Tony touched her. Although, she flinched when her skin touched Steve's. Maybe she wasn't accustom to touch?

December closed her eyes and imagined an alley somewhere safe in the middle of California. A place no one could see them...

Poof! Just like that, the trio disappeared. No smoke, no flashing lights, nothing. Just a quiet buzzing sound then silence...

"Be careful..." Tony whispered to himself, wishing he had told Bailee before her departure. He noticed his invulnerability in front of the others and quickly shook it off, exiting the room.

Natasha left seconds after the trio vanished and Clint followed behind her, heading towards the training room.

Felecity was left, her hand over her heart as she worried for her friends. What if they didn't find Anastasia? What if something bad happened to her, and that was why she hadn't responded to anyone? What if she didn't want to come back? Questions flew through her head...

When suddenly, she felt a warm hand on her shoulder, knocking her from her dream state. She looked up to see Thor kindly staring down at her.

"Are you alright?" He asked quietly.

Felecity giggled quietly, putting her hand on top of his. "I am now" She whispered.

Thor had a silly grin on his face as the dirty blonde exited. He followed her like a stray dog.

Bruce and Liliana were left alone.

"Mind if I ask a question?" Liliana asked innocently. She walked over to an empty counter and jumped on it, dangling her feet.  
"Shoot" He said as he worked on some weapon Agent Fury gave him a few months back.

"What's it like? Having to constantly control your emotions just to make sure you don't turn into...well, you know" She smirked, staring at him. As she finished her sentence, he looked up, pushing his glasses back towards his nose.

He chuckled. "Well, that's the thing. I'm always angry. I can turn into...the other guy, at any moment..." He analyzed Liliana, expecting fear in her eyes or a gasp, some sign of fright.

There was none. She was as normal as ever. It was as if the thought of him turning into a giant green killing machine didn't faze her.

"That doesn't scare you?" He asked, putting down his screwdriver.

"Why should I be scared?" She asked, cocking her head to the side.

Bruce scoffed. "Gee, I dunno. Maybe because I turn into a gigantic green beast when I get pissed"

Liliana chuckled and jumped off the counter. She walked towards him and leaned in close to his face. "I like the color green" She whispered. As soon as she said it, she turned on her heel and strode out the door.

Bruce stood there, heat rising to his cheeks. He loosened his collar and slowly breathed out. That girl baffled him...

-California-

A solid hour had passed and neither Steve, December, or Bailee found a single clue as to where Anastasia might be.

"This is hopeless" Bailee scoffed, rolling her eyes.

"We can't give up...We have to find her" December said.

"Can't you hear her?" Steve pondered.

December closed her eyes and listened closely. She zoned out the passing cars and chit-chat of pedestrians. Remembering Anastasia's voice, she tried to hear it. Just as she was going to say she hadn't heard anything, a quiet song was sung. That voice...It was so melodic and legato. It had to be Anastasia!

"I found her!" December yelled at the top of her lungs, receiving odd looks from strangers.

"She's close by!" She yelled once more, dashing across the street, avoiding a car or two. Steve and Bailee proceeded behind her.

"Slow down!" Bailee pleaded, chasing after the asian girl.

Just as Bailee sped up to reach December, she had stopped in her tracks and Bailee went flying into her back.

"Oof!" She groaned.

"There" December pointed to a large historical-looking building.

Slowly, they walked inside. Statues and paintings lined the walls. It appeared to be a museum but music was shouting from all corners of the palace. Singers and instrumentalists poured out different melodies.

"Don't move" December whispered as she closed her eyes, listening for that voice...

"She's down the hall" She said, determined. Her feet traveled down the hall, she stiffened when as she peeked through the door of a training room.

There sat an old woman playing the piano as a tall, beautiful red-head stood in front. She stood straight with her shoulders back in a common singing stance.

December was speechless as she watched her old friend from a small glass window. Bailee's hand flew over her heart as it ached from old memories flooding her brain.

As the two girls stood there, waiting to attack their friend when she was available, Steve stared in awe. For once, he was not standing up straight as a proud soldier should. His knees seemed to be made of jelly, heat filled his face, and his heart beat at an unusual galloping pace. It was such an odd sensation. Yet, he loved every moment. Never had he experienced these antics whilst meeting someone for the first time.  
Just when he thought he would pass out, the melody ended. He looked up and heard the old woman speak.

"Beautiful, as always, Anastasia! Once you audition with that piece, you'll be off to bigger and better things. I just know it" She said, clasping her hands together.

"Thank you so much Mrs. Ore" Anastasia gave her a kind smile and a hug, then walked out the door.

She walked out expecting to leave the building, go to her car, and end her day as she always did, when she heard her name...

"Anastasia!" The voice yelped in her ear.

Anastasia did a 180 and her face was inches from December.

"Oh my God..." She gasped, her mouth hung open as her eyes grew as large as watermelons. "There is no way...It couldn't possibly..." She kept mumbling to herself as if the person in front of her was a figment of her imagination. Tears filled the corners of her eyes. "Is...is it really you?" She asked, her voice shaking.

December grinned from cheek to cheek. "Yes" She whispered.

Anastasia embraced her friend and they held one another as tears flowed and silent whispers exchanged.

"It's been five years since I saw you..." Anastasia separated from her friend, but never lost eye contact.

"I know" December laughed softly.

Anastasia turned around and noticed Bailee. "Oh Bailee!" She yelled and flew to her friend, squeezing her tight.

"Okay, okay! Too much love!" Bailee exclaimed, escaping her friends grip for air.

Anastasia burst out in a joyous laugh. "Are any of the other girls here?" She asked, looked around the room as if she were a child in a candy store.

"Felecity and Liliana are at headquarters...We haven't found Vera yet" December said quietly, clasping her hands together behind her back.

Anastasia's smile quickly faded. "Oh, headquarters..." She said.

"Don't you want to see the others? Let's go!" Bailee said impatiently.

Anastasia stared at the tiled flooring, counting the cracks. "I...uh...I think you got the wrong idea by coming to get me. I'm so happy I got to see the two of you again, but..." She looked up, noticing the shocked look on the girls faces. "Saving the world isn't really my thing anymore" She said, looking away from her friends. She couldn't bear to see their expressions.

"W-what?" December said, utterly shocked. "Ana...what's wrong? You've...you've always been there to protect the world and the people on it. It was your life! Your powers are apart of who you are!" December said, anger rising in her voice.

"No" Anastasia said quickly, her eyebrows furrowing down as she glared at December. "That was a part of me when I was a teenager. I didn't know anything else because I wasn't given a chance. These powers are nothing to me. I don't use them... and I won't ever again" She said coldly.

"You're crazy" Bailee said, rolling her eyes. "You can't run away from this, Anastasia. The world needs us. They need Team HOPE. We can't do it without you!" Bailee threw her hands up in frustration.

Anastasia shook her head. "The world doesn't need me..." She whispered. Suddenly, she felt a warm hand on her shoulder. Using her peripheral vision, she noticed a buff, blonde man standing behind her.

"The world needs you more than you think...Those people know you and trust you. They're waiting for you to come back and save them. Without you, no one will protect us. You are the leader of Team HOPE..." He said softly, comforting her as best he knew.

"And without a leader there is no team" Bailee said firmly, scowling.

"Ana, please..." December pleaded, preparing to beg on her knees if needed.

Anastasia sighed and glared at the floor. "I'm leaving so much behind...I was ready to start my singing career...I was going on to bigger and better things" She scoffed, shaking her head.

"We promise as soon as we finish our mission, you can go on your way and do whatever you wish" Steve promised.

Finally, Anastasia turned around to face Steve. Her eyes had a sadness in them, but her face shone displeasure.

He seemed to lose his breath as their eyes connected.

"...Alright" She whispered hesitantly.

December smiled. "Thank you so much, Ana!" She attacked her friend with a hug from behind, holding her tight.

Anastasia's frown turned into a sweet smirk as her friend held her.

"Let's get back to headquarters" She sighed, realizing there was no escape from here on out. She was stuck until the deed was done.

Bailee exchanged a forlorn glance with Steve as they walked down an empty hallway, preparing to go back home.

**Sorry it's short! I wanted to get another chapter in. Honestly, I wanted to start a new chapter to get in to more things. And finally, you got to meet Anastasia! That was really the point of this chapter. I promise you will soon meet Vera. She's quite a mysterious character, so give her time to appear lol. You are starting to see blossoming romances, I hope. I'm trying to make them obvious, haha. Please keep reading and tell your friends!**


	5. Chapter 4

"Anastasia!" Felecity galloped to the red-head and attacked her with a bear hug. "Oh my gosh I've missed you!" She screeched in her high-pitched voice.

"Felecity! I've missed you!" Anastasia belted, patting the blonde's back.

"It's absolutely wonderous to see you again!" Liliana said, throwing her hands in the air, as if she were reaching for the clouds.

Anastasia's small smile turned to a grin that reached from ear to ear.

"We can finally be a team again..." December said, resting a hand on Anastasia's shoulder and giving her a sincere smile.

"Now don't forget Vera" Bailee butted in.

"If we ever find her..." December sighed rotten, resting her hand on her forehead.

"She's out there somewhere. We can't give up hope" Felecity sombered.

The five woman stood in their spots, in a gloomy train of thought. Each one of them feared the worst as to Vera's whereabouts. But Vera was strong. Surely she'd be safe...

"Ladies" Agent Fury interrupted the pondering moment as he piled into the room with The Avengers stomping in behind him. Each Avenger took a seat as the five women stood awkwardly.

"Well Avengers, one more member and we can have our ultimate team" Fury said proudly.

Anastasia looked away as he mentioned 'team'. She thought her presence in the team was wicked. She despised every second people discussed their powers and talked of saving the world.

Fury noticed the girls' lousy and unpleasant faces. "Maybe you all should rest. You've been constantly working and I'm sure a good nap or some alone time could do everyone a favor" He stood straight as he favored the girls standing in the corner. They were still like daughters to him. In his eyes, they would always be the petrified teen age girls whom were lost in the world with no one to understand them.

"Agent Hill, please escort them to their rooms" He nodded his head towards Maria and then stared at the girls. "If you need anything, do not hesitate to ask..." He trailed off as the girls left the room.

"This has been a week..." He spoke to The Avengers, exasperated.

"Are you...alright, sir?" Natasha asked hesitantly.

Never had anyone seen Nick Fury be so open and loving. He always seemed to shut out the world, give it the cold shoulder.

"Everything is just fine" He said sternly. There was no way he could let the team know of his pure heart for the girls.

"Get back to your stations. Try to find Vera, and whatever you do..." He said, glaring down the team. "Do. Not. Scare those girls away..." As he finished his sentence, he hustled out the glass door and left the team to soak in his threat.

"We've got to find Vera" Clint spoke up, retrieving the attraction of the others.

"The sooner we find her, the sooner we can take down that monster, and the sooner we can figure out who's behind this and kick them out of oblivion" Clint declared courageously.

-Felecity's room-

"Sweety, don't be sad...I'll be home soon, I promise...Is grandma taking good care of you?...Good" Felecity whispered tearfully. Her hand flung to her skin that covered her heart. She dug her nails into the smooth skin, as if she could squeeze the pain from her organ.

A colossal lump sat in her throat as she attempted to hold back tears.

"Be strong..." She whispered to herself.

Suddenly, there was knock at the steel-platted door that held her from the others.

"Who is it?" She said frantically as her daughter discussed how school was.

"It is I" A bold voice spoke.

"Oh, Thor" Felecity said, sighing of relief.

"Just a minute!" She shouted.

"Sweety, mommy has to go...I love you, don't forget that...Goodbye" She stuttered her final words and hung up her phone, flinging it across the room towards her bed. She wiped her eyes, preventing further tears and cleared her throat. She lifted her shoulders and straightened her back, giving her a flirtatious figure. She ran her hands through her hair and straightened out her clothing.

She strutted towards the door and opened it with the large red button to the left of the steel door.

"Hi" She uttered, a clump still in her throat.

"Are you alright? I was passing your corridor and heard sobbing..." He took a step towards her.  
Felecity sniffled as a smile cracked her face. "Everything is fine...I just...something happened that made me upset". Tears dashed the corners of the eyes that lost their sparkle.  
"Do you want to talk about it?" Thor questioned, resting a hand on her shaky shoulder.

The dirty-blonde connected her eyes with his, her usual invulnerability showing. Felecity was very open and, sadly, very trust worthy. Those good traits seemed to back-fire, mostly.

"If you don't mind" She whispered sweetly.

Thor smirked and walked inside as she closed the door. They sat on opposite ends of the small bed built for one.

"Have you ever missed someone, with all your heart and you know you can't see them for a long time. And it sounds silly, because you know you'll see them again...but the wait is just too long and it practically breaks your heart..." She sighed, wiping the tears that shred down her cheeks. "You miss their little actions and the way they walked, just every single thing" She looked down at her hands as they fidgeted with one another.

Thor looked at the sobbing woman and felt an imediate sympathy. "Everyday" He whispered.

"Asgard, my home. I grew up on Asgard, I learned how to use my skills, and Loki..." He stopped at remembering his brothers old facade. "Loki was a kind, good-hearted man, and I loved him. I still do. But he has changed, he is not the same man. And I long every day that he will return to his previous state...But I fear it is impossible" Thor held back tears, squeezing his eyes shut. "I do know how it feels to long for someone to return that is so dear to your heart. Even when I visit Loki, I still miss him. The real him...The old him" He whispered.

Suddenly, light-skinned arms wrapped around his muscled chest as Felicity's head collapsed to his shoulder.

"I'm sorry..." She whispered. Of course Felecity had heard the story of Loki destroying the city just last year, but she never knew how Thor really felt about his brother. The pain and agony he must have gone through...It was the same emotion she felt for her precious daughter.  
Thor stroked her waves of hair and caressed her short, curvy frame in his arms.

They sat and cried for what seemed like a millenia.

-The Conference Room-

Anastasia had run through files and researching events for hours. She was trying to connect this mysterious monster with any other strange occurences from the past.

"Nothing..." She whispered, a dreadful feeling overcast her.

"Well someone's finally glad to be back" She heard a man say.

Her head shot up, the dark red curls bouncing with her. She sighed of relief as the voice came from Steve, his body leaned against the frame of the glass door.

"Well...I guess your little pep talk earlier got my mind back in place. Besides, I'll be leaving as soon as the mission is over"

Steve felt his heart practically drop. 'Leaving' rang in his head. She couldn't leave so early, he had to get to know her better.

He cleared his throat, escaping his thoughts. "Glad I could be of service" He smirked, stuffing his hands in his pocket.

Anastasia chuckled as she organized the papers back into place, neatly placing them in the tan folder. "I haven't found a single trace as to where this beast is coming from. Only thing I can say is that it'll have to appear around here if we are going to do anything about it" She turned and walked towards the large glass window of the tall building. Her eyes scanned the horizon, analyzing buildings and planes and hearing the hustle and bustle of every day life in the big city of New York.

"It's scary..." She whispered.

Steve gingerly walked towards her, inches behind her. "The city scares me too...but considering I was frozen in a block of ice for years, a lot of things are frightening" He chuckled.

Anastasia smirked, a giggle escaping her rose bud lips. "I meant that practically every persons life depends on our actions and our powers. Without us, they wouldn't be able to protect themselves" She whispered, staring down at her feet.

"Oh, that" He whispered. Steve had never felt that fear of protecting people. He felt it was his job to do so, it was nature and instinct. "I suppose that's why you were hesitant to come back. The weight of man-kind on your shoulders can be overwhelming" He said bluntly.

Anastasia scoffed. "Not very good word choice, but yes. That's why I didn't want to come back...I've protected people for most of my life so far and, well...When Fury dismissed me, relief over came me. It was nice to only worry about myself. I could finally sleep and eat. My anxiety was caused by this job" She sighed, slightly ashamed in herself.

"It's okay to be afraid. But what you have to realize is that the people you protect are ten times more scared than you. That's why you protect them..." He whispered to her.

Anastasia turned her neck so her eyes could capture the blue bulbs on Steve's face. The duet stood as their eyes practically combined together. Her brain scanned his, trying to read it.

Steve had forgotten she could read minds...

_"I wish she understood just how important she was to everyone on this team...To everyone on this Earth"_

Anastasia chuckled, just as she was going to remark to his thoughts, she was interrupted

Screams began erupting from outside the building and an annoying beeping alarm went off inside headquarters.

Anastasia shared a frightened look with Steve as Agent Fury burst into the room. "Suit up" He commanded.

Steve ran off to one of the storage units, getting his suit.

Anastasia frantically galloped to her room. She scavenged for anything in her closet that might aid her in fighting, when she saw something in the very back. It was a red jumpsuit with white stripes coming up the sides and the words HOPE were printed in white over the area covering the heart. "My uniform..." She whispered, remembering all the battles she fought in that famous uniform known by everyone in the New York area.

She quickly reminded herself she had to get ready and she threw on the jumpsuit. She grabbed a pair of short white boots with small heels and ran out of her room. Everyone had gathered outside the building. The other members of Team HOPE had found their uniforms and snuggly fit into them.

Fury came running out behind Anastasia and threw each one of the girls a gun. "That monster is on 23rd street. Kill the damn thing" He yelled over the commotion of police officers and then looked at Anastasia. "You're in charge" He said, running back in the building.

"Shit" She whispered under her breath. The Avengers and Team HOPE stared down Anastasia.

She took a deep breath and started firing out orders. "Clint, get on top of a building and start shooting. Natasha, move in as close as possible and see if you can blind it or cut out one of its senses. Demi, track down that thing and then Tony and Thor, follow her and start attacking from above. Felecity if you can turn invisible and get close enough, use a sonic scream. It'll shock it which'll make it easier to attack. Liliana, try to absorb or take away some that giant lizards powers or abilities. Bailee, make as many duplicates of yourself as you can, distract it so Natasha, Liliana, and Felecity can get close in. Steve" She looked at him. "You're with me. I need you to protect everyone and fend of that thing as much as possible. I'm going to throw as many things as I can find towards it. And Bruce..." She looked at the scrawny man with glasses. "Go hulk" She smirked.

Team HOPE nodded their heads and went off to do as they were told. The Avengers stared in awe at how quickly this girl could devise a plan.  
"Mind giving me a lift?" Clint asked Bruce as he turned into The Hulk. Hulk nodded his head and grabbed Clint, running towards the roars of the beast and throwing him up on a nearby building.

"I found it!" Demi yelled. "It's just south of here, two blocks down" She said calmly. Thor and Tony flew off, preparing to attack the giant beast. Demi grabbed Natasha, Felecity, and Liliana. She teleported herself and three girls near the monster so they could carry out their missions.

"Let's go!" Bailee grinned, ready to kick some ass. She started running off as Anastasia and Steve trailed behind her.

The trio finally arrived at the area where the beast stood. He was as long as twenty football fields and as tall as a twenty-story skyscraper. It was literally a giant lizard with ugly green scales protecting its soft exterior.

"Wow..." Bailee gasped. As she stared in awe, she duplicated herself times twenty. Her separate bodies spread all over the area, trying to distract the beast from the approaching people ready to attack it.

Anastasia found a large piece of rubble from a building. Using her mind, she lifted it up and threw it on top of the beasts head, causing no damage.

Everyone fought there hardest. Tony was using plasma bolts as Thor struck lighting and Hulk fought with his fists.

Clint was using ever arrow in his arsenal, trying to give wounds that might aid the team's effort to find a weak spot. Natasha had successfully shot out the lizards left eye, which hadn't done much. She was rapidly shooting as sonic screams escaped the invisible Felecity. The screams did nothing to the monster, not even a flinch!

Anastasia was becoming furious. "Nothing is phasing it! None of our powers are causing any damage!" She screamed over the gun shots and other noises.

"Mind if I give it a shot?" A voice yelled behind Steve and Anastasia. The leaders jolted around and noticed a fair-skinned girl covered in freckles with ginger-red hair and icy-blue eyes. She dawned a Team HOPE uniform.

"Vera!?" Steve said, astounded.

"Perfect timing, as usual" Anastasia smirked at the sight of her old friend.

"Where do you need me, boss" She refered to Anastasia.

Anastasia sighed. "At this point, just attack it and see what happens". Vera nodded her head and ran into action. Fire and water began bursting towards the beast. Vines began wrapping around its legs, immobilizing it.

"There we go beastie, time to chill down..." She retorted, freaking its head. The beast no longer moved. Vera smiled proudly and unwound the vines around its legs.

Just as she was basking in her glory, the girls attacked her, practically falling to the ground. "This is a horrible place for a reunion" Vera snorted and hugged her friends, smiling happily.

"Can we please finish this thing and go on with our lives?" Natasha pleaded as Clint appeared beside her after crawling down the building.

"My pleasure" Tony smirked. He flew into the air and shot it with a plasma bolt. Everyone moved back as the beast fell over.

Just when everyone was going to begin cleaning up the mess, the monsters tail was falling.

"Vera look out!" Bailee yelled, now one person.

Vera looked up as the tail was about to collapse on her. Suddenly, someone came running as quickly as possible and pushed her out-of-the-way, landing on the mans chest. Vera looked down to realize she was laying on top of Clint.

"Are you alright?" He asked frantically.

"I'm fantastic..." She whispered, completely forgetting she almost died from being crushed by a lizard tail. She was far too mesmerized by the handsome man underneath her.

"Um...can you get up?" He asked politely.

"Oh, heh, ya..." Vera chuckled, standing up. "Thanks, again..." She grinned.

"Any time" Clint nodded his head and looked at the rest of the team. "Can we please go back to Headquarters?" He asked, sighing.


	6. Chapter 5

"I'm glad your leadership skills haven't become deprived over the years, Agent Phillips" Agent Fury said, proud of his team and of the fact that his plan worked. "Excellent job, everyone. Now we can figure out who is behind the appearance of that monster. For now, everyone deserves some rest. It's late and you all look exhausted" He smirked at the battered-up and drowsy looking group.

"Goodnight" He nodded his head, turned on his heel, and exited in class.

"Just like the good 'ol days" Vera laughed, leaning back in her chair and putting her hands behind her head leisurely.

"I think that is the first time he's ever fully congratulated us, he's usually very mute and unpredictable. Sometimes, he wouldn't even acknowledge the fact we saved the human race" Liliana giggled, messing with her glasses.

"Sounds like Fury" Natasha smirked.

The group stood silent, in their own little worlds when Tony broke the somber moment.

"For once, I'm going to follow Fury's advice and go home to sleep. I'm exhausted" He yawned, still in his suit of armor.

"Need your beauty sleep?" Bruce playfully spoke.

"Please, this is all natural. I just sleep so I don't pass out" He rolled his eyes and walked out of the door casually, waving goodbye to Bailee and giving her a discreet wink.

Bailee gave him a furious frown, but the second he disappeared, a blush overcome her face and she sprinted out towards her bedroom.  
"Oh my goodness I'm so tired" Felecity said dramatically, her hand swatting her forehead in an exasperated pose. "I'm off to bed, toot-a-loo!" She grinned, standing up.

Thor walked towards you. "I shall walk you to your corridor" He smiled kindly, resting a hand on her back.

The couple walked to Felecity's bedroom, inches between them.

"I'm going to finish an experiment in the lab then I'll be on my way to bed, as well" Liliana declared, standing up.

"Want some company?" Bruce quickly asked, bolting out of his chair.

Liliana giggled. "That'd be fantastic" She grinned and walked out with Bruce, the two chatter-boxes discussing something along the lines of science gibberish.

Vera looked around and noticed Steve intensely staring at Anastasia, obviously imagining another scene as Anastasia twiddle her thumbs, knowing Steve was watching her but couldn't bear to share eye contact.

Vera rolled her eyes and chuckled. She looked over at Clint and gently smiled. "Thanks again...You saved my life" She chuckled.  
Clint looked up, realizing she was conversing with him. "Like I said, no problem..." He cleared his throat and awkwardly looked away from Vera. Not much of a smooth-talker...

"Well considering I haven't been in this building for years, mind showing me where the bedrooms are? I'm beat" She stood up and stretched, the Team HOPE suit had stuck to her skin from the action.

"Uh...yeah, sure" Clint said quietly, standing up and refusing to stare at Vera's body.

Natasha had a fowl look on her face as she watched Vera and Clint leave.

December noticed Natasha's face and walked over to her, resting a hand on her shoulder. "Come on Nat, you should go to bed..." She said quietly, then exited.

Natasha looked at Anastasia and Steve with a sigh. "Are you two going to bed?" She asked curiously, preventing her thoughts from running wild.

"Not tired" The duet said simultaneously. They quickly looked at one another, then at Natasha.

"Guessed as much" She smirked. "Night..." She said, finally leaving the room.

Anastasia looked at Steve and then stood up, walking to the large glass window, observing the peaceful street. She noticed the bar across the street was rather full of pedestrians. Thank God the damage the team caused earlier was farther away. Her stomach wouldn't be able to take the sight of it.

"You alright?" Steve asked, breaking Anastasia's concentration.

She sighed. "I haven't fought in a long time. It was overwhelming, that's all..." She whispered, wrapping her arms around herself.  
Steve stood there, watching that beautiful girl drown in her melancholy thoughts. Then, an idea struck him.

"You're not tired, right?" He asked.

Anastasia turned around and raised an eyebrow. "I'm wide awake...why do you ask?" She questioned.

"Go to your room and put on some different clothes, just trust me" He smiled.

Anastasia opened her mouth, as if to comment, but she quickly dispersed the idea and shook her head obediently. She walked to her room, Steve behind her as he headed to his.

Ten minutes later, Anastasia heard a knock at her steel-plated door. "Be out in a minute!" She yelled. Her eyes scanned her picture in the mirror. She wore a red dress with a flowing skirt that went to her knees and black sandals. She put on a short jean jacket with sleeves pulled to her elbows. Running her hands through her hair, she examined her makeup and the style of her hair.

Finally, she walked out and noticed Steve in a plain dark blue shirt with a brown leather jacket and a pair of brown slacks and brown dress shoes.

_"She looks beautiful"_

"Thanks" Anastasia smirked, stuffing her phone in her jean jacket pocket.

"I didn't say anything..." Steve looked at her, puzzled.

"Oh yes you did" Anastasia chuckled, pointing at his head. "Reading minds is really useful" She grinned.

"I'll have to remember you can do that for future reference" He chuckled. "You ready?" He asked politely.

Anastasia shrugged. "This better be fun, Rogers. I've got too much on my mind for a bad date" She smirked, hooking her arm with Steve's.  
"Date?" He said, astonished. A blush overcame his flawless fair-skinned cheeks.

Anastasia laughed. "Come on, you" She smiled, pulling Steve out of the building with her. Finally, Steve saw the fun-loving Ana. Not the one overcome with depressing thoughts and terrifying memories.

"What exactly are we going to do?" Ana questioned as Steve led her down the city streets, passed darkened buildings and lit bars.  
"You'll see" He smirked, looking down at her.

The couple reached a quiet bar that was bustling with couples sharing food, drinks, and dancing the night away. Anastasia noticed everything was very forties looking. People seemed to have fun, though, and that was something she had desired for a long time.

"Wow" She smiled. "This place is awesome!" She yelled happily. "Let's dance!" She grinned and grabbed Steve's hand, pulling him on the dance floor with multiple other couples. This dancing was so classy and fun as forties music blared from the speakers. This was no modern-day club, but Anastasia found herself happily dancing along with Steve.

So they mambo-ed and cha-cha-ed through 4 songs when a slow song came on. Anastasia stiffened as numerous couples walked off the floor, going to grab a drink.

She and steve along with two other couples stood there.

"May I have this dance?" Steve asked, putting out his hand and staring into Ana's eyes.

"Sure" She chuckled, using her left hand to intertwine her fingers with his. Her free hand clung to his shoulder and his free arm wrapped around her waist. They swayed in one another's arms, their faces inches from each others.

_"Wow she's inches from my face...She's even more beautiful up close"_

Anastasia laughed quietly. "Your thoughts like running wild, don't they?" She asked, winking playfully.

Steve chuckled, realizing he had kept his guard down long enough for her to read a thought or two. "It's hard to concentrate when you're so close" He smiled, gripping her waist tighter.

"Same here..." She whispered, feeling her blood rush and the thumping of her heart begin to increase. "Extremely difficult" She whispered, losing herself in his eyes.

She rested her head on his shoulder, closing her eyes. Steve set his chin on top of her head and smiled.

_"I think I really like her...She's different. So very different"_

Anastasia grinned in his shirt.

_"I think she likes you too..."_ She thought.

Steve looked down at her, puzzled. "Really?" He smiled, joy over filled him. Then something caught his memory. "Wait a minute, did I just read your mind?" He questioned.

Anastasia smiled. "Yes, really. And if I trust someone, I can let them read my thoughts. I rarely let people do so, however" She said, grinning from ear to ear.

"I'm glad you can trust me" He whispered, gently pulling her closer to his chest.

An hour passed and the bar tender waltzed over to Steve and Anastasia. "Sorry lovebirds, but it's closing time" She smiled, putting her hands on her hips.

Anastasia looked at the middle-aged woman. "Oh, sorry to keep you waiting. Goodbye" She said quickly and took Steve's hand, walking out of the bar and down the street.

"Did you have fun?" Steve asked.

Anastasia grinned. "Most fun I've had in years" She laughed joyously.

"Glad I could cause that laugh...I've never heard it before" He smiled, his hand intertwining with hers as he gazed at her lovingly.

"Believe it or not, I'm actually a very fun person" She grinned. "My job...makes it difficult sometimes" She sighed, her thoughts quickly changing.

"Don't think about it" Steve pleaded, stopping in the middle of the sidewalk. He couldn't ruin this perfect night by letting her old memories soak back in.

"It's kind of hard to get back off the subject" She rolled her eyes and looking at her feet.

Steve looked at her, then smirked. "What if I got your mind on something else?" He said.

Anastasia looked at him. "Oh really? Just how are you going to do that" She said stubbornly.

He took a deep breath. "Like this" He said, suddenly, his arms grabbed her waist and he pulled her towards him. His nose touched hers for a millisecond then he gently pressed his lips to hers. They kissed for two minutes exactly when Anastasia broke away for air.

"You were right. That definitely took my mind off my job" She breathed, catching her breath.

Steve chuckled once more and leaned down, giving her another sincere kiss. He felt Ana's arms wrap around his neck and they delved deeper into the kiss.

-The lab-

"Thanks for helping me with this. An extra pair of hands helps when I have to try to contain a feisty combustible atom" Liliana grinned from ear to ear, running her hands through her short hair.

Bruce stared at her as she took her glasses off and opened her eyes a few time to adjust to the view without them.

"Today was exciting, don't you think?" She grinned, resting her chin on her hands as they propped themselves on the table.

"If you say so" He shook his head, walking over to a touch screen monitor to retrieve some data.

"I haven't fought in years...It was exhilarating! Although with my super powers, there isn't much I can do unless I have a gun" She laughed as if the thing was simple. As if she couldn't have gotten hurt, or worse, died.

"How are you so easy-going about this all?" He questioned.

She smiled. "Bruce, I'm a weird person. I babble on about science all day long and am usually stuck in a lab" She motioned around her. "So it's nice to escape the stereotype of my super genius abilities and get out in the action and save the world. I might not be the biggest asset to the team, but I'm apart of it none-the-less. When I first joined this team, Fury kept me in this lab 24/7...I wasn't even allowed to shoot a gun back then. So I created weapons and researched enemies and honestly, watched a lot of reality television" She smirked. "Then when I proved to everyone that I wasn't just a piece of wood, Fury put me on a mission with the team and I actually helped save the world. Ever since then, I refuse to be upset about fighting. I'm saving the world, wether or not I do it alone. I'm still helping..." She said, defending herself.

"Oh..." He said, feeling foolish for his previous question. "That's...admirable" He whispered, looking down at his empty hands.

Liliana walked over to him and rest a hand gently on his shoulder. "So why do you hate it so much?" She asked quietly.

Bruce looked at her, his posture decomposing as she broke him down. "I'm...a monster, Liliana. I'm a huge, growling, beast that doesn't know right from wrong. I'm no better than that giant lizard we killed today. Fury should have locked me up when he had the chance..." He whispered, turning his hands to fists.

"You have no idea how blessed you are" She whispered.

Bruce's head jolted up. "Blessed? Are you serious? This is not a blessing, unless God messed up. Which, who knows, I probably deserved it. I'm a monster, Liliana. That's the reason no one understands me. That's the reason I'm feared by people" He shouted.

Liliana frowned, taking her hand off him. "You are not a killer. You are not a dangerous weapon. You are not The Hulk" She said sternly. "You are Bruce Banner, an honest and kind man with a genius façade. You are the content of your character, the ambitions that drive you, and the goals you set. You are the things you laugh at and the words you say. You are the thoughts you think and the things you wonder. It isn't the shape of the vessel that matters, it's the soul that fills it" She ended in a whisper. "You are a wonderful human being" She stepped closer to him, putting her hand on top of his as it sat on the counter. "Not a monster"

Bruce looked at her, his eyes full of tears. "You are the first person to ever convince me I'm a human..." He whispered. "Thank you" He said, pulling Liliana into his arms, holding her close.

Liliana wrapped her arms around him, squeezing him tight.

"If you ever feel like your going to turn into the other guy, tell me. I can negate it and jump-start it later..." She whispered. "You won't have to worry about turning in to him ever again" She whispered in his ear as she felt his breath down her neck.

He looked up at her. "What if you accidentally absorb it? What if you get the hulk powers?" He asked, worry in his eyes.

Liliana shrugged. "I don't absorb powers every time I touch someone, If I could, I'd be the hulk now" She laughed softly.

"Liliana...I'm sorry no one understood you. But, I understand you...Better than I've ever understood anyone" He whispered, his grip tightening as if he feared she would escape his arms.

Liliana smiled. "You're the first" She giggled, her fingers tangling themselves into his curly hair as his invigorating scent left her breathless.

**OMG! I know what you're thinking: "Another chapter in only two days? Has this woman completely lost her life?". Well my fine-fellow-readers, yesterday I was extremely sick and wrote ALL DAY LONG. I was in such a good writing mood, and a rather romantic one. There is a lot of dialog in this chapter, but I really hope you enjoy it! Finally, some romance! We all knew it was coming :P I hope you enjoy, please keep reading, and tell your friends! Thank you so much. I'm so very blessed to have fantastic and loyal readers such as yourselves.**


	7. My Apology

My dear readers.

I am so very sorry to say this, but I'm afraid The Avengers and Team HOPE must come to an end. The story has lost its point, and I'm sure most of you could tell my writing was beginning to lack. I've lost interest, which is horrible for a writer to say. I had so many things planned for this story...but as things started coming together, less things made sense! I realize the romance was adorable, but those were the only things I enjoyed writing! And the entire story couldn't be happy romance. There needed to be action, drama, and despair. I just couldn't get myself to write those kinds of topics with all my heart. Maybe I could write some one-shots, to please you all and to apologize for the large inconvenience I have brought.

I have found myself being attracted in some of my old works. Other fan-fics. I am writing a new one, involving Big Time Rush. Not sure if I should publish it yet, but if you're interested in that sort of thing...

I have written many other fan fictions, including Criminal Minds, Drake and Josh, The Sorcerers Apprentice, YouTube stars, Nick Jonas, and I actually have a fully written story consisting of 14 chapters and an epilogue about Harry Potter second generation characters.

Perhaps putting chapters up while writing was a bad idea. I stressed over everything. Not only am I a high school student, but I am involved in many extra curricular activities and this constant guilt nagged me each day I didn't write.

So, to end my pain and yours, I have ceased the story. Many of you have active imaginations and I'm sure are at home, writing the ending to this story that had so much potential.

I apologize and hope you all might find my others stories more intriguing. I love you all so much, thank you for being wonderful readers the past few months.

Love,

Veronica


	8. Surprise!

I sort of have a surprise for you guys! Before you get your hopes up- No, I am not continuing Team Hope. BUT, I have started and FINISHED a new story that's a spin-off of Team HOPE. I used one of my characters, Veronica, who I use in a lot of my fan fics. Tony is actually the other main character of the story. It's called She's Different. It involves The Hunter and a lot of romance (something I know you guys enjoy) but let's not forget some BIG action scenes (something else you guys enjoy). As I said earlier, the story is completely finished. It even has an epilogue! I know this isn't exactly what you all wanted but after I saw Iron Man 3, I was stoked and just had to write. The story is over 20,000 words and I reallllyyyyyy hope you guys like it! So please read it and I will be adding chapters every few days. You guys are such loyal readers and your reviews help me through my most difficult times to write so I wanted to write this for you guys so you could read a story I wrote with an ending lol.

Don't forget, the story is called She's Different.

Thanks for reading guys. You're all great :)


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